Season 1 AU Scenes and short stories
by thebigianthead
Summary: What if things happened differently in other realities? These are AU scenes/stories for episodes in season 1. Each is independent (totally stands alone) from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and means a character can die in one, but be alive in the next one. "Yankee White" through "Reveille," this will be 23 chapters for 23 episodes.
1. S1 E1 AU Yankee White

AU stories for NCIS episodes. Each is **independent** (totally stands alone) from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning.

 **This is #1 - a short alternate universe story/scene based on Season 1, episode 1, Yankee White.**

The original episode aired September 23, 2003. Character names not from that first episode were taken from episodes in all seasons.

Rating: K+

Category: General

 **Warnings:** Major character death, but don't worry. It's in an alternate reality so they're back in story #2. Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about. But down the road who knows?

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **Anthony DiNozzo** perked up when he saw the photo in the American newspaper. The President was heading to the UK for the G-20 summit and there in the frame with him was Senior Special Agent Caitlin Todd. The US Secret Service agent had protected President Bush and was now with President Obama for his first trip overseas since being sworn in just two months ago. The photographer's focus had been on Obama, but DiNozzo recognized a familiar woman when he saw one and Kate Todd was still hot. It had been over five years since the shooting on Air Force One and her career had not only survived, it looked to be better than ever.

He'd had fun on Air Force One and still had the photos. Even getting bounced on the beltway by the FBI brought a small smile until he sobered and remembered the shocked faces of his colleagues and Dr. Mallard tending to an inconsolable forensic scientist. The FBI took the case and only Morrow boarded the plane to see where and how everything had happened. Around the world everyone was happy because the President was safe, an assassination attempt had been thwarted, the culprit killed, and oh... yeah, an agent losing his life was mentioned on one or two cable newscasts.

The in-house ceremony had been short with Director Morrow awarding Gibbs the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award with Valor, as well as citations from the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Navy and an honorary thank you award from the US Secret Service. At the memorial service DiNozzo had gotten a little better insight into Gibbs' life when he saw the attendees. In addition to many dozens of NCIS agents and cops from every state and agents from every federal agency, were officers and enlisted from all military branches, not just Marines. JAG's Admiral AJ Chegwidden and most of his staff were there along with Senator Patrick Kiley, his wife, senators and congressmen from Gibbs' home state of Pennsylvania and a few other politicians. FBI Senior Special Agent Tobias Fornell showed up with his wife and a couple of other redheads. DiNozzo didn't attend the graveside ceremony since it was in California, but he heard later that Gibbs had been laid to rest next to a wife and child that nobody at NCIS knew about.

DiNozzo shook away those memories and looked at the newspaper photo again as his mind went back to the spring of 2004 and the last time he'd seen Kate Todd in person.

He'd gone to a White House ceremony with Director Tom Morrow, Abby Sciuto, Donald "Ducky" Mallard, Gerald Jackson and a whole slew of NCIS agents. Dwayne Pride, Chris Pacci, Jenny Shepard, Hetty Lange, Leon Vance, Vera Strickland, Riley McCallister, G. Callen, Chad Dunham, Don Dobbs, Melora Koss, William Decker, Owen Granger, Stan Burley, Lara Macy and many others that knew and respected Gibbs attended and even Mike Franks flew up from Mexico. Todd was on White House duty since the President was home and they'd only spoken for a minute before Tony headed in with the others for the presentation. Jackson Gibbs accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction on behalf of his son, Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and then later that day they attended a second ceremony where the fallen agent was awarded the Public Safety Officer Medal Of Valor.

Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, field agent stationed in Naples, Italy, looked at the photo once more before tossing the newspaper into the recycle bin. The past was the past and he'd moved on long ago.

 **End**

Thanks for reading. Thanks for reviewing. Don't worry, Gibbs is fine in alternate reality story #2. :)


	2. S1 E2 AU Hung Out To Dry

AU stories for NCIS episodes. Each is **independent** from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning.

 **This is #2 - a short alternate universe story for Season 1, episode 2 Hung Out To Dry.**

The original episode aired September 30, 2003.

Rating: K+

Category: General

Warnings: Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about. But down the road who knows?

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **Newscaster** \- 'Military authorities arrested a marine and charged him with murder in connection with Sergeant Larry Fuentes' tragic parachute mishap three days ago.'

Gibbs tensed when he heard a ring, but then relaxed a little when he realized it was the one on his desk and not his cell phone.

"Yeah, Gibbs," he answered, relieved it was not his third ex-wife... again.

"Boss? It's me, boss. Did you see? NCIS didn't make the eleven o'clock news."

"It could have happened tonight if you'd broken your neck."

As it was DiNozzo had broken his ankle and sprained his knee when he hit the ground and would be out of the field for six to eight weeks.

DiNozzo started laughing. "I'd be dead. I wouldn't see it."

Shaking his head, Gibbs instructed, "DiNozzo, give the phone to Abby."

She was on the phone a moment later. "Hi Gibbs."

"Tony doesn't handle pain medication well, Abby. You need to watch him 'til he falls asleep."

"Okay, but I wish you were here."

A small smile before, "Be there soon, Abbs."

Just before hanging up he heard, "I'm gonna handcuff him to the bed frame."

 **End**

Yeah, yeah, DiNozzo probably broke his neck in one of the alternate realities, but I'm not going to write that. :)


	3. S1 E3 AU Seadog

AU stories for NCIS episodes. Each is **independent** from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning.

 **This is #3 - a short alternate universe story for Season 1, episode 3 Seadog.**

The original episode aired October 7, 2003.

The dialogue through the first part is from the episode.

Rating: K+

Category: General

Warnings: Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about. But down the road who knows?

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **"They've** got to be going after the power grid," Kate surmised.

Abby announced, "I found traces of C-4 on the stuff you bagged from the boat."

A relieved Fornell told them, "Thank God. They're just gonna try to blow something up."

Gibbs, Abby, DiNozzo and Todd all turned to stare at him.

He explained. "We've been sweating terrorists hacking into our power grid distribution software. That could shut down half the country. C-4 indicates a hard target: a power plant, a substation, distribution node, which are all under tight security. Which are about to get a whole lot tighter."

"There's a good chance that driver works for Jefferson Power," Gibbs offered.

The FBI special agent pulled out his cell phone. "I hope he does. We'll have him before sundown."

Fornell spoke quickly and decisively. "Terrorist alert. APB on Jefferson Power Company van number 831. I want to know where it's based, who's driving it, and I want it in five minutes."

Turning to the others he said, "Thanks, You've all done a terrific job," and then he headed toward the elevator to leave the building.

DiNoozo announced, "I feel like I just kissed my sister."

Abby replied, "I didn't know you had a sister, Tony."

"I don't." Tony smiled, "I was fantasizing."

Abby admitted, "I need music to do that."

Looking frustrated, Gibbs declared, "Fornell's got target fixation."

Not knowing the term, Kate said, "Come again?"

"It's when a fighter pilot gets so fixed on his target that he flies right into it," DiNozzo informed her.

Kate couldn't resist. "Ah, like you and women?"

DiNozzo chuckled and Kate kind of chuckled too.

Gibbs didn't need any of their antics and pulled them back in. "That August blackout was caused by a tree falling on some power lines, right?"

Kate answered, "Something like that," and knowing her answer wasn't enough for Gibbs, headed to her desk and computer.

"Well, hell, these guys don't need C-4. An axe'll do."

Kate had pulled up the required information. "Okay, here's the timeline for the August 15 blackout. "

"Put it up on the plasma, Kate."

"It started at Eastlake, Ohio at 1400 and by the time it reached Indian Point in Buchanan, New York, all the northeast and most of Canada was dark."

Gibbs looked thoughtful before demanding, "Pull the state''s power grid up off the internet."

Kate typed in the request and then said, "Whoa, look at this."

The information appeared on the plasma and DiNozzo read aloud. "It says three key failures in Virginia could cascade until every state from here to the Rockies is dark."

An astounded Kate told them, "Yeah, more than says. It shows how."

Everyone looked at the screen as she told them, "Wait, take down those three flashing nodes, simultaneously, and you take out the entire eastern power grid."

Gibbs looked pleased. "All we have to do is stop them from taking out one?"

"It looks that way. I mean if any two fail at the same time, the slack can be picked up. There will be blackouts, but it won't cascade."

DiNozzo had seen the reasoning and asked, "Well, which one do we go for?"

"The closest one." Gibbs pointed to a spot on the plasma, the Fairfax node. "Right here."

Fifteen minutes later they returned to the Navy Yard. Director Tom Morrow had called ordering them back.

* * *

The two men sat sequestered in the Director's office.

"Gibbs, the FBI has this. You cleared the commander."

Morrow looked meaningfully at his senior agent, who was not happy.

"Send your team home, Jethro. Tomorrow is another day."

Gibbs got up, a little reluctant to let it go, but started for the door anyway.

The Director was about to say something else when the lights went out.

With a small smirk, Gibbs turned and quipped, "Let's hope it was just one or two nodes, sir. If not... it'll cascade."

Morrow didn't look pleased as he snatched up his phone. "Get me the FBI Director."

 **End**

(Have lived through many, many power outages and every time land lines still worked.)

Thanks for reading. Please review.


	4. S1 E4 AU The Immortals

AU stories for NCIS episodes. Each is **independent** from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning.

 **This is #4 - a short alternate universe story/scene for Season 1, episode 4 The Immortals.**

The original episode aired on October 14, 2003.

The dialogue in the first part is from the episode.

Rating: K+

Category: General

Warnings: Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about. But down the road who knows?

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **Preparing** to leave the ship, Gibbs, Kate and Tony gathered up their things.

Gibbs, chewing gum, concerned look on his face asked Kate, "You all right?"

She sighed and replied, "I just can't get over how the line between reality and fantasy was so blurred for Seaman McDonald."

Gibbs put on his NCIS cap and responded, "For him, destroying Zuger's website was every bit as real and violent as trying to kill the skipper."

Tony added, "I'm so glad my parents pushed me into sports in high school."

As Gibbs and Kate headed toward the door, Tony asked, "Aren't you interested at all in what I brought you back from Puerta Rico?"

Kate and Gibbs responded affirmatively, reluctantly.

Tony whipped out gift bags and handed the first one to Kate. She peeked inside and smiled. Removing the tissue colorful paper only took a moment and she smiled again, bigger this time, before saying, "Thanks Tony. I've read about these."

"That one was carved and painted by hand. See the little feet. No webbed toes."

"Cute. I remember now. They have special pads on their toes that let them climb and stick to trees and leaves."

Tony beamed. Kate really liked his gift.

Gibbs gave Tony a look of respect, pleased that the younger man had chosen thoughtfully. And done his homework about the forest coqui, aka free toed tree frogs. He wondered if Tony was going to tell her about the mating habits which get very loud as the males flirt and posture to attract females. The thought stopped there as a bag was thrust into his hands.

Tony looked at him expectantly so Gibbs didn't stall. He reached in and pulled out a bag of coffee beans. Nice. He smelled them through the packaging as Tony told the rest of the shopping story.

"The coffee farms are starting to come back, boss. It's going to be big business in 8-10 years. Right now all of their coffee is distributed locally."

Looking pleased, Gibbs told him, "Thanks, DiNozzo."

The three tired agents, lugging their packs, navigated through the ship slowly, even though the helicopter was waiting for them. Kate was a little ahead going around a corner so Gibbs quietly asked Tony what he got for Abby.

Tony turned his head and replied, "Same as Kate; different color and it has stripes."

Just before they went through the hatch to the deck, Gibbs asked, "What did you get for you?"

"Uh, nothing, boss."

Gibbs knew he was lying. Anyone would have known Tony wasn't telling the truth.

Kate was waiting for them before heading outside to the deck.

"Kate, go on. Tell 'em we're coming."

She hesitated for only a second before slipping from the passage.

Gibbs made sure nobody was within hearing distance before glaring at DiNozzo and a full three count later said, "Tell me you did not get rum."

From the look on the agent's face, Gibbs knew he was right.

"You can't bring that aboard ship. Tell me you had it mailed."

Tony had the good sense to admit what he'd done.

"It's wrapped in bubbles and brown paper. Nobody saw it."

Gibbs shook his head. "Not the point."

Tony had purchased alcohol while on duty and brought it with him to the ship.

With Gibbs' disappointment weighing heavily, Tony said meekly, "Won't happen again, boss."

 **End**

Thanks for reading. Please review.


	5. S1 E5 AU The Curse

AU stories for NCIS episodes. Each is **independent** from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning.

 **This is #5 - a short alternate universe story/scene for Season 1, episode 5 The Curse**

The original episode aired on October 28, 2003

The dialogue in the first part is from the episode.

Rating: K+

Category: General

Warnings: Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about. But down the road who knows?

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **"She** and Martinez stole that money, not Lt. Schilz."

Tony jumped in. "Kate, incriminating her doesn't exonerate Schilz. She could have played him."

"No, they forced him to open the safe, they murdered him and they stuffed him in a pod."

"Unless Martinez or Toner admit Schilz had nothing to do with the robbery, there's no way to exonerate him."

"I'll get them to confess."

Gibbs had listened to Kate and Tony go back and forth. Now he wanted to chime in.

"Hm, how are you going to do that?"

"I don't know...yet," Kate admitted.

"Whoa, Martinez was murdered in a Piedro Negras motel," Owens, agent who conducted the original investigation. announced excitedly. He'd continued to search for information while the others talked.

Surprised, Kate guessed, "My God. She's a black widow."

Tony was confused for a few. "I don't think she was ever married."

Gibbs smiled. "We got her. Kate, go back to Pennsylvania and bring Erin Toner in."

"How? I can't arrest her." Ever hopeful, Kate pressed. "Can I?"

Gibbs delivered the bad news. "No, no, she has to come voluntarily."

* * *

Kate's anger kept her from thinking straight as she practically threatened everyone at the country club. Now she had a call to make. She'd been so close to maybe getting justice for Lt. Schilz and benefits for his daughter. And for Martinez too, though she didn't have any sympathy for him since he was probably a murderer and had stolen the money.

"Yeah, Gibbs."

"I think Erin Toner is gone. Nobody has seen her for several hours."

Kate listened as Gibbs barked orders.

"DiNozzo, get a search warrant for Erin Toner's house. Owens, put out an APB on her car. Get an arrest warrant. Charge is murder."

Tony and Owens both had questions, but Gibbs stopped them cold.

"Looks like she took off. Now get to it. Kate, warrant will be there soon. Process her house."

Kate leaned her head on her hand and wrist as she listened to him on her cell phone.

"I'll call local LEOs to get you backup and secure the house. Anybody have any idea where she went?"

Kate had talked to several people including a couple of women at the country club who thought she would be there playing golf or tennis. The men in particular had no information.

"No. but I don't think the ones I spoke with were being truthful. They like her... a lot."

"You talking about the country club guys?"

"Yes."

Gibbs had a pretty good idea about where to start looking for her.

"Kate, send the names of everybody to Abby. I bet a private plane is missing."

 **End**

Thanks for reading. Please review.


	6. S1 E6 AU High Seas

AU stories for NCIS episodes. Each is **independent** from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning.

 **This is #6 - a short alternate universe story/scene for Season 1, episode 6 High Seas**

The original episode aired on November 4, 2003.

The dialogue in the first part is from the episode.

Rating: K+

Category: General

Warnings: Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about. But down the road who knows?

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **"That's** impossible. I don't use drugs."

"Your blood test says otherwise."

"Then it must be a false positive."

"Before you joined up you were an emergency medical tech. You tell me, how often does that usually happen?"

Gibbs glared at Petty Officer First Class Robert Wilkes, who lay on the hospital bunk.

"Maybe it's just a whim. Or maybe you like hanging out in walk-in freezers in your birthday suit,"

"I don't know what happened, sir. I was feeling light-headed and hot. Really hot. "

"Well, your body temperature was 106. That's high enough to kill most men unless their cardiovascular system was being boosted by some sort of synthetic stimulant."

"Somebody must have slipped something into my drink.'

"Any idea who that someone might have been?"

"No, sir."

"Any idea who provided the meth?"

"No, sir.

"You know what, I'm trying to help you out here, petty officer. If you try to float this story at your court martial hearing they will laugh your ass all the way to Leavenworth."

Wilkes looked horrified.

"Where did you get it? Shrewe?

"No."

"From Niles?"

"I don't do drugs." Wilkes was clearly upset. "And no one else on my crew does either."

Frustrated that the kid wouldn't give it up, Gibbs got out of sickbay and prowled the passages. Something was bugging him. Wait, something was bugging his gut. Wilkes had seemed genuinely confused and scared and didn't seem to be lying. His blood looked like someone who had used for a long time, but his job performance and fit-reps didn't show that at all. The kid had been truly distraught... Gibbs did a 180 and returned quickly to sickbay.

"I want someone with Petty Officer Wilkes at all times," he told the flight surgeon.

"He's out of danger, Agent Gibbs. In a few days he'll be taken to the brig for pre-trial confinement."

Gibbs gave the man his best stare. "I want someone with him 24/7. Do I need to call Commander Stovic?"

The medical officer studied Gibbs' face for a few seconds before giving in. "No, you don't need to call the skipper. I'll have a corpsman with him at all times."

The team plus Stan Burley questioned Wilkes arresting gear crew mates, questioned the crew chief, questioned other shipmates and officers. They searched living quarters, went through personnel records, observed training and crew interaction and they tossed around a lot of theories. Abby tested urine and blood. Not long into the investigation, Petty Officer Second Class Peter Shrewe was also in sickbay and Petty officer Second Class Gil Niles was jumpy, but the team had a plan for catching Chief Petty Officer Reyes in the act of giving meth to his crew.

While Tony and Kate confronted the urine testing coordinator, Gibbs sold the plan to the commander who would use the air boss the next morning to set the trap in motion. Satisfied they'd have enough to take the chief into custody, Gibbs went back by sickbay to check on Wilkes and Shrewe. Worried about them, he observed them surreptitiously for a few minutes and the corpsman with them. It wouldn't be long before Niles would be in sickbay as well as a couple of others who were undoubtedly long term users too.

Meth withdrawal was about a week of what could be severe symptoms and Gibbs felt a small twinge of regret for having laid into Wilkes so hard during that first interrogation. After catching and arresting Reyes, the next job would be to keep JAG from hanging the others for meth use, possession and distribution. What happened to them was not their fault. They were victims of a leader who betrayed their trust and Gibbs vowed he'd do whatever he could to help the young men keep their naval careers.

End

Thanks for reading, Please review.


	7. S1 E7 AU Sub Rosa

AU stories for NCIS episodes. Each is **independent** from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning.

 **This is #7 - a short alternate universe story/scene for Season 1, episode 7 Sub Rosa**

The original episode aired on November 18, 2003.

The dialogue in the first part is from the episode. Near the end of the first section, I changed it for the AU scene.

Rating: K+

Category: General

Warnings: Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about. But down the road who knows?

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **"You're** telling me someone killed one of my sub crew members to take his place?"

"I think there's a very real possibility."

"Not on my watch, Agent Gibbs," Captain Veech was adamant.

"You take that chance, Captain? It would have to be someone new. Humor me."

"All right. I'll beef up security around the boats in port, have every crew member's ID card checked against their service record."

"What about the Philadelphia?"

"She's a day out."

"I think you should call her back."

"Agent Gibbs, the Philadelphia's en route to join a NATO exercise in the Atlantic. And your theory is...highly suspect, if not preposterous. I'm not about to bring her back."

"Then send a couple of us out to rendezvous with her and interview the new crew members."

"Your presence will be disruptive."

Gibbs smirked, "And it's possibly inconvenient to have a woman aboard."

"I'm not sold on you needing to go at all and now you want to take a woman."

* * *

Gibbs listened for a few seconds before putting the call on speaker so Kate, Tony and Tim McGee, Norfolk case agent, could hear. Captain Veech had said no, their appeal to the Admiral was pending and the CNO was unreachable. Director Morrow told Gibbs to call SecNav directly.

"Convince me."

"A body was found at Norfolk. We have good reason to believe that he was a submariner, Sir. The killer removed identifying features knowing it would take between 24 and 48 hours for AFDIL to make a DNA match."

"Go on."

"The Philadelphia is the boat that fits the time frame."

Kate jumped in. "Mr. Secretary, 15 of the crew are new. Four have been eliminated by dental x-rays. Six can be eliminated because of body type or ethnic origin."

The team leader waited a second or two for someone else to volunteer something before adding, "Sir, the sub was a day out six hours ago. The more time that passes the better the chance the impostor will do something."

"Gibbs, take me off speaker."

* * *

The whaleboat rocked gently as they waited for the Philadelphia to surface.

Kate didn't like waiting or silence. "I hope the five men are quarantined."

"Commander Peters said he would... and keep 'em from talking to each other."

Just then the submarine not only appeared amid a huge spray of water, but the bow burst high above the surface before splashing down.

"Emergency blow," one of the whaleboat crew yelled.

At the same time dense red smoke seemed to be everywhere and Gibbs' heart sank.

"Wow," Kate beamed, impressed by the maneuver.

"No, Kate, not wow," Gibbs told her solemnly.

Her eyes searched his face. "What do you mean?"

"Unless someone opens a hatch from the inside, we're too late."

 **End**

Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	8. S1 E8 AU Minimum Security

AU scenes/stories for NCIS episodes. Each is independent from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning.

 **This is #8 - a short alternate universe story/scene for Season 1, episode 8 Minimum Security**

The original episode aired on November 25, 2003.

The dialogue, a small part anyway, is from the episode.

Rating: K+

Category: General

Warnings: Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about. But down the road who knows?

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **Gibbs** sliced his hand across his throat and the feed ended.

"Go Jethro. I'll have a plane waiting for you," Director Morrow promised.

Determination on his face, Gibbs nodded once and headed out of MTAC.

The implications were enormous and Morrow needed his best man on it. NCIS would take this, at least until FBI and CIA butted in claiming national security. Getting his team there quickly and first would ensure a better than snowball's chance that they could find out what was going on ahead of the others.

"Get your gear," Gibbs barked to his team. "We're goin' to Gitmo."

Tony grinned. "Ha. Ha. That's a good one, boss."

The boss was already halfway to the elevator by the time Kate and Tony looked at each other.

"He was kidding, right?"

Kate saw Gibbs reach for the button and said, "I don't think so."

Laughing jubilantly, Tony danced across the squad room.

"We're going to Cuba!"

Kate's eyes smiled as she tried not to giggle.

* * *

"When you said priority ride, you weren't kidding, boss."

The look on Gibbs' face screamed, 'when do I ever kid?'

"Sit down, DiNozzo. Kate, our translator?"

"Petty Officer Second Class Khalil Sa'id is a naturalized American citizen. He was born in Egypt. No next of kin in the US. And I haven't found a US address."

"Languages?"

Uh... Arabic, Uyghur and Pashtu."

Gibbs looked at her, assessing the information. "Where was he before Gitmo?"

"Our Naval station in Bahrain. He's been in Cuba for five months."

"DiNozzo."

Tony squirmed a little before going into his spiel.

"Guantanamo enjoys a year-round climate, cooled by the breezes from the windward passage."

He didn't notice Gibbs' displeasure and probably wouldn't have cared anyway.

"Some of the more popular pastimes include skin diving, sunbathing and horseback riding," he finished with a flourish,

Kate smirked. "I would be the last one to rain on your parade, Fidel, but you got that from the official Navy website. It's PR."

Gibbs had had enough.

"DiNozzo," he insisted his agent focus.

"Uh, yeah boss. Paula Cassidy. NCIS Special Agent Paula Cassidy."

He tipped his laptop toward Gibbs.

"Pretty."

Gibbs had seen her on MTAC's screen and already knew what she looked like.

"What else?"

Still excited, DiNozzo almost squealed, "I can't believe we're in a 40 million dollar Gulfstream. I mean, it's gotta be CNO's or SecNav's. You know, Tiger Woods has one of these, Tom Cruise, all the big movie stars. This is their ride."

"Are you finished?"

"Almost." He reached for the panel button and said, "Check this out. It's a Gulfstream."

* * *

They were met by Paula Cassidy, who had met Gibbs through MTAC and was expecting them.

"Welcome to Gitmo, Agent Gibbs," she said to the boss while her eyes roamed up and down Tony.

"Agent Cassidy," Gibbs acknowledged. "Special Agents Kate Todd and Anthony DiNozzo."

"Nice to meet you," Kate addressed her.

"Same here." Paula waved her hand toward the plane. "Nice ride."

Knowing why it should be obvious that they used the fastest and priciest transportation available, Gibbs replied, "Well, we needed to get here quickly, Agent Cassidy."

Tony had a silly smile plastered on his face. "Call me Tony. Can I call you Paula?"

"Sure... Tony."

Their eyes met and anyone in range would have seen a spark.

Gibbs turned on the two of them, leaning in a little to break the spell.

Paula wore a slight blush as she tore her gaze away from Tony to look at Gibbs.

"I have a map here for you. You'll have one of the better houses on the base."

"We appreciate that, Agent Cassidy. Now, c'mon, we have work to do."

He marched up to the vehicle and tossed his go bag into the open trunk. The others did the same as Paula started to unlatch the driver's side door. Tony almost choked when he saw Gibbs put his hand on the door... right before Paula could pull it open.

"Gibbs drives, Paula. Don't argue, just give him the key."

Kate, aware of the mutual attraction between the two of them, got into the front passenger seat, leaving the back for Tony and Paula.

"Where is Sa'id?" Gibbs wanted to know as he steered the car from the flight line.

"Bill is keeping him busy... as you requested."

Gibbs noticed the little hint of anger under the surface in her voice.

"Kate, Tony, Bill Gamal is a senior FBI translator. He and Cassidy are going to help us figure out what our petty officer is up to."

Paula calmed down a bit, recognizing Gibbs as a bit of a control freak. She'd heard good things about him... and a couple of bad things, but he was the supervisory agent and she'd do what she was supposed to do and do it well. Along the way, she planned on getting to know Tony better.

 **End**

Thank you for reading. Please review.

This concludes the first block of season 1 AU scenes/stories.


	9. S1 E9 AU Marine Down

AU stories for NCIS episodes. Each is **independent** from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning.

 **This is #9 - a short alternate universe story/scene for Season 1, episode 9 Marine Down**

The original episode aired on December 16, 2003.

The dialogue in much of this is from the episode. It goes AU in the cemetery.

Rating: K+

Category: General

Warnings: Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about. But down the road who knows?

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **Kate** stated the obvious. "We know Kidwell was murdered."

"And that lying sack of excrement was somehow involved." Tony noticed the disapproval on Kate's face. "What, you prefer I call him a sack of..."

Not letting him continue, Kate jumped in with, "The question now is...what happened to Major Peary? Is he still alive?"

"There's an easy way to check," Gibbs told them.

"What, you think Mrs. Peary is just going to give us permission to dig up his grave?"

Gibbs half smiled and half smirked knowingly. "I don't know, Kate. I wasn't planning on asking her."

"Hey guys!" Abby was all smiles as she came into the squad room.

Gibbs addressed her first. "Abby, you track this guy down?" He indicated Kate's drawing of the fake Colonel up on the plasma.

"Not yet, but I've only heard back from about half of the embassies."

Kate noticed the equipment Abby had brought with her. "What is this thing, Abby?"

"Ground-penetrating radar." With a huge grin Abby inquired, "Gibbs didn't tell you?"

Kate and Tony looked confused before Kate asked, "Tell us what?"

"You're going grave robbing tonight," Abby told them with much glee in her voice.

The cemetery was creepy and a little foggy in the night air.

"This is so not right. I mean, it's not like we couldn't have done this during daylight."

Kate directed the flashlight beam to the temporary grave marker. It was Major Peary's. "You afraid of ghosts, Tony?"

"No, I'm afraid of getting shot for trespassing." A little nervously he gazed into the darkness. "Where the hell is Gibbs?"

From behind and to the left, "Right here."

Tony jumped a little and complained, "Don't do that!"

Unfazed Gibbs asked, "Did you calibrate the radar yet?"

"Just about. Check this out."

Tony directed the equipment to a grave close by. "Oh, yeah. Lookit."

The display revealed a human skeleton.

Kate wanted to know, "What's that by the feet?"

"I don't know," Tony replied.

Gibbs saw it and directed his flashlight beam to the headstone.

"Fluffy," he told them. The pet died the same month as Miss Agatha M. O'Leary.

Kate found it disturbing and yucky. "Ewww!"

"That must have been one lonely old lady," Tony offered.

"Or one pissed-off poodle." Gibbs headed for the grave they cared about. "Okay, bring it over here. Let's see if Major Peary's home."

Tony moved it into position. "All right. Oh, casket's metal, boss. I'm getting some false signatures, but here we go."

Gibbs sighed, "Major Peary," when he saw the bones on the display.

"Now what?" Kate and Tony asked at the same time.

Looking disappointed, Gibbs stared into the blackness, knowing that wishing for a different outcome wouldn't help. He had so wanted Peary to still be alive.

"Now we ask the wife... or get a court order," he whispered to Kate, Tony and the other souls in the darkness.

Late the next day Gibbs and Director Morrow were in MTAC with the Director of the CIA on the screen.

"Those Marines we were talking about the other day... what were they doing in Colombia, Bob?"

"Well, they were part of a task force that was helping the locals hunt down Carlos Morales. He's the head of the Pudo Mayo drug cartel."

"How did they die?"

"Poison. Insurgents kidnapped them. We paid the ransom, but they killed them anyway. It happens."

Gibbs knew in his gut that the CIA agent was dirty. "How much was the ransom, Mr. Director?"

"Two million. Why?"

With a hand signal Morrow got the technician to send the drawing to the CIA director. "Was this the agent responsible for paying it?"

The man looked at it intently and asked, "And if it is?

Gibbs answered, "We think he kept the money for himself, and now he's trying to cover it up."

"Those are pretty bold accusations, Agent Gibbs. Do you have any proof of this?"

"Major Peary was alive three days ago. Major Kidwell was embalmed four days after his funeral. You tell me, sir."

"How do you know?"

Morrow answered, "Newspapers found in the bodies."

"I still don't see."

Gibbs had had enough. "Our ME says Kidwell and Peary were embalmed while they were still alive." He waited a second for that to sink in. "Canton handled the ransom. He impersonated a military officer and an NCIS agent. He lied to us, interrogated Peary's widow and took a shot at me in Coleman Park."

"Where is he, Bob?" Morrow could sympathize with the other director, but they wanted to know.

After several seconds the CIA Director responded. "Well, he's back in Colombia. Look, if any of this turns out to be true, we will handle it. I do not need NCIS playing internal affairs for my agency."

"Understood," Morrow agreed. He nodded to the technician and the live feed ended.

"Jethro, you can't go to Columbia."

"Sir," Gibbs pleaded in frustration. "He killed two men."

Morrow tipped his head forward in agreement, a hard look on his face. "Yes, I believe he did...and the CIA has 10 days to deal with him."

Gibbs was angry, but something told him to have faith in his boss.

Morrow's face softened a bit, "Call your contacts and use NCIS resources to find him and keep tabs."

Suddenly Gibbs was feeling better.

"If Canton is still alive in a couple of weeks, you can go get him," promised Morrow.

 **End**

Thanks for reading. Thanks for reviewing.

 **Note** \- Many thanks to VG LittleBear for the comment about the death of the poodle. I went back to the video and the poodle died in the same month, no date, but was probably euthanized right after the lady died. She was 62 and the poodle 8 so both died kind of young. On a personal note I have a great aunt who wants her cats euthanized and cremated right away if they outlive her. They are 19 and 20 though so a little better. Gibbs' comment makes much more sense in both realities now. :)


	10. S1 E10 AU Left For Dead

AU scenes/stories for NCIS episodes. Each is **independent** from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning.

 **This is #10 - a short alternate universe story/scene for Season 1, episode 10 Left For Dead**

The original episode aired on January 6, 2004.

The dialogue is from the episode. It goes AU after the bomb explodes.

Rating: K+

Category: General

Warnings: Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about. But down the road who knows?

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **"Well,** that's both good news and bad news," Gibbs informed Stephen Brauer. "She can't tell you the formula to her explosives, but then again, she can't remember who buried her in Rock Creek Park," he added pointedly.

Brauer asked Suzanne McNeil, "Were you buried?"

"Yes," Suzanne replied as she looked into his eyes.

Looking at her intently he asked, "You don't remember anything?"

"Only that I like blueberries," she joked.

Grateful she hadn't told the agents he buried her, Stephen suggested, "Uhm...come, Suzanne. Sit with me. Perhaps we...talk?"

The two walked over to some furniture in the lobby area and sat down with Suzanne facing away from the NCIS agents.

Gibbs and Tony had seen his reaction to her still being alive and knew he was the one who buried her. They had a murder so maybe he killed Richter too.

"That son of a bitch is guilty as hell," Gibbs muttered.

Gibbs, Kate and Tony stood watching the pair as they talked. Tony still needed a place to stay and reminded Gibbs.

"You remember when I stayed with you that time, when it didn't really go so well?"

"Yeah. I remember, DiNozzo."

Kate wasn't listening to them. She was thinking about Suzanne.

Tony knew he was asking a lot. "Well, listen. I was younger then. Immature, a little unfocused..."

Gibbs wasn't having any of it. "It was six months ago, Tony."

Kate's brain kicked into gear. "She said... someone bashed the poor man's head in. How did she know that Richter's head was bashed in? I couldn't see the wound, nobody told her how he died." Knowing the truth, she looked toward Suzanne. "She remembered."

Kate stared at the woman and could have kicked herself for not realizing. Gibbs and Tony turned to look also, understanding the many possible implications and ramifications.

"No one dumps me, Stephen." Suzanne stood up and opened her hand. "My latest compound. So volatile, all you have to do is drop it."

Stephen looked at the gray ball with a detonator sticking up and told her, "Then you'll die, too."

"I've already been buried."

Terrified and knowing she would drop it, he yelled in German, "Sie hat eine bombe!"

The three agents drew their weapons and took a step or two, three for Kate, toward the pair in the lobby. Not too close because she had a bomb and Gibbs and DiNozzo had seen what her bombs could do.

Kate shouted, "Suzanne! Don't!"

Suzanne replied, "Sorry, Kate," but everybody knew she was not sorry at all.

* * *

Later that night, Tony lifted his head and reached out with his hand to get Gibbs' attention. "We oughta do something, boss."

"Have you ever made a mistake, Tony?"

The younger agent smirked, "According to you or me?"

"You," Gibbs told him.

Tony didn't like admitting mistakes, but he admitted by saying, "Yeah."

Gibbs wanted to know, "Could anyone make you feel better?"

"No," and he put his head back down. In time he would talk to Kate about the times or one time anyway that he'd been taken in and things had gone to hell.

Gibbs took a long drink from the cup in his hands and then tried to relax with his legs resting on the pillow on the hard chair. It wasn't too bad. He'd be okay. He had made mistakes too. Suzanne leaving the hospital, not telling Kate to go everywhere with her and to watch her closely, leaving Suzanne and Stephen alone and the biggest one was not treating Suzanne as a suspect as well as a victim.

He glanced outside at the falling snow before telling the younger agent, "Look at it this way, Tony. Kate will be fine... in time. You'll be fine too and you might not need a place to stay when you get out of here."

"The Doc said just one night," Tony reminded him.

"Uh-huh, we'll see." Tony had said no heat or electricity for a month, but Gibbs knew that was an exaggeration, both from the building manager and DiNozzo. If the younger man needed a place to sleep Gibbs would let him stay over. He wasn't thrilled about a month, heck, he wasn't thrilled about a week, but he'd help DiNozzo if it came down to it.

Tony had started to doze when he jerked awake. "I got it. Kate and I can both come and stay with you."

"DiNozzo, go to sleep," Gibbs ordered, but not too harshly.

"Yes, Boss," Tony obeyed as he snuggled his head into the pillow. "I know you'll be here or close by in Kate's room."

Their injuries weren't life threatening, but burns and cuts from projectiles were painful and easily infected. The wounds had been contaminated with debris and shrapnel and cleaning had required anesthesia. Tony and Kate had been lucky. Oh, Gibbs had burns and cuts too, but his two agents didn't need to know he had refused to be hospitalized. He'd made a deal with the doctors, and Ducky, to stay close so the staff could keep an eye on him while he kept an eye on his people. He hurt, but the pain pills helped and his own recovery would depend on them recovering. It was a win-win for him to be mobile.

"Sleep, Tony." His voice was a little softer, like the falling snow outside the window and he smiled, thankful Ducky had taken Abby home and Kate had been sleeping soundly when he left her room. Now he needed DiNozzo to nod off so he could.

"Too bad for you they didn't put us in the same room," Tony sighed, almost asleep.

Gibbs whispered, "Yeah, then you'd never get to sleep and neither would Kate... or me."

 **End**

Thanks for reading. Thanks for reviewing.


	11. S1 E11 AU Eye Spy

AU stories for NCIS episodes. **Each is independent (totally stands alone)** from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning. Again, these are AU scenes/stories which means a character may die in one, but be alive in the next one.

 **This is #11 - a short alternate universe story/scene for Season 1, episode 11 Eye Spy**

The original episode aired on January 13, 2004.

The dialogue in some of this is from the episode.

Rating: K+

Category: General

Warnings: Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about. But down the road who knows?

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine.

* * *

 **With the tide rising,** they rushed to get measurements and photographs before moving the body.

Kate exclaimed, "His dive knife is missing."

"Yeah. You didn't see this coming, did you, my friend?" Ducky saw a big wave coming in and yelled, " Hey, watch out!"

Gibbs shouted, "Tide!" and Tony laid down in front of the wave, shielding the dead body.

"Well done, Tony," Ducky praised.

All business, Gibbs instructed, "Bag him," after the wave rolled back.

Ducky, a little sympathetic to Tony's wet clothes, told him, "I've got a spare suit in the van."

Tony got to his feet, but still hadn't spoken. With his shoulders hunched in a stiff shiver, he had a look of shock on his face.

Kate asked, "You okay? What is it?"

Gibbs understood. "Shrinkage," he told her and got back to work.

Ducky and Gerald left with the body and Gibbs doled out assignments.

Tony changed into a NCIS jumpsuit and went to the Little Creek Quarter Deck to get the phone number of the call that alerted them to the body on the beach. He told the seaman apprentice on the lobby desk that NCIS wouldn't have a hard time tracing the blocked number, but in truth he wondered. He could call Abby, but she was back at the Navy Yard. He could find a computer to use and try to do it himself, but he honestly didn't know how to do it. As Tony walked out of the building he remembered another option and something Gibbs had said to him a while back. 'He is young and green, yes, but he is smart and capable.'

Timothy McGee was at Norfolk, his small, dingy office just a few minutes away, and Tony called the 'wet behind the ears' agent to make sure he was there.

* * *

Gibbs and Kate rounded up the CIA technician who had made the call and made a call of their own.

The Assistant CIA Director demanded, "What the hell are you up to, Gibbs?"

"I want the recording of the satellite transmission," Gibbs told him calmly.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Well, let me put Mr. Worth on. He can explain it to you."

"Oh, no, no! No!" Worth protested, leaning back in the car seat away from the cell phone.

"Your analyst was spying on a US naval base."

"You have Worth?"

Gibbs was tired of the dodging and weaving. "I'm not really sure which congressional oversight committee he's going to be spilling his guts to. I mean, there are so many to choose from, these days."

The Assistant Director sighed and gave in. "How do we handle this?"

"We'll be there in fifteen minutes."

Thirty minutes later Gibbs and Kate were on their way back to the Naval Yard with the recording of the satellite transmission. Gibbs' team had done enough of their own investigating that nobody at the CIA needed to pursue it further. They had Worth and the other employee who had viewed the live satellite feed and would deal with them. And the employees wouldn't be talking to anyone. Per Gibbs' assurances that he could square things, Jeremy Worth was still on administrative leave, but employed, as long as he underwent some retraining and an extended period of probation. It was getting more difficult to lure geeks into public service, especially The Company, so they needed to try to retain employees whom they had already invested a great deal of time and money. As for Gibbs, he stored Worth's name away as a possible future source.

* * *

"You think she'll take the bait?" Kate wasn't so sure the plan would work.

Gibbs was hopeful. "Well, pretty hard to pass up getting away with murder and framing your husband's lover."

"Well, if she's guilty, she's a pretty good actress," Kate admitted.

Gibbs wasn't big on compliments, but every once in a while. "Eh, you weren't bad yourself, kid."

Kate didn't like playing the game with the widow. "Ugh, made me feel creepy."

"Why? You still don't believe she knew about her husband's affair?"

"The wife's always the last one to know, Gibbs." Kate said it, but didn't have firsthand experience. It was what she'd heard.

"Don't believe it. " Gibbs on the other hand, did have firsthand experience plus many years of investigating cheating spouses who committed crimes.

"I hope you're right. Otherwise we were pretty cold to a woman who just lost her husband."

"Well, let's find out," Gibbs told her, not sure it would work either.

The satellite was in position and Abby's friend, Ashton, was sending the image to her. "Gibbs, she's on the move. I'll redirect the satellite to you." She used her skills to send the image to the car with Gibbs, Tony and Kate. "Are you getting this?"

Tony replied, "Yep, let's roll."

"Hang on. Let's get some separation," Gibbs advised. He wanted the plan to have a good chance of working and he didn't want the wife to see them following.

Abby had a larger image that made it easier to decipher roads and landmarks. "She's leaving the base. She's turning onto...highway 264, going south."

Gibbs was ready to start the tail. "Okay, Lieutenant. Let's see where you're going."

"Ah. I hope she's not just popping out for a Big Mac," Tony said what the others were thinking.

"We need eyes inside," Gibbs told the others after they'd followed Lieutenant Egan to a pub. "It can't be me or Kate. She'll recognize us."

Tony smiled, "Guess it's up to me."

As he got out of the car, he told Gibbs, "I know, boss, sarsaparilla."

He was back fifteen minutes later.

"She's sitting alone in a booth. A couple guys have hit on her, but she turned them away."

Kate suggested, "Maybe she's waiting for someone."

"What's she drinking?"

"Some kind of wine," Tony told him.

Gibbs wasn't ready to give up on her going to retrieve the missing military hardware. They needed to play out the plan. Maybe she needed some liquid courage and didn't have any at home. He would have chosen something stronger, but maybe the woman wasn't much of a drinker.

They didn't see anyone go in and ten minutes later she came out, got in her car and started back the way they'd all come on 264. The agents followed discreetly. The woman might have had wine, but she was driving okay, just below the speed limit and smoothly in her lane. Gibbs backed off to keep her from realizing they were there.

Suddenly Abby's voice alerted them. "Gibbs, she's turning right about half a mile ahead. It's residential."

"Thanks, Abbs. Okay, Lieutenant, where to now?" Gibbs spoke softly as he made the turn. "This is not your neighborhood."

Abby supplied more information and Gibbs stopped the car around the corner from a large cul-de-sac. They proceeded on foot from there to a house where they saw the target car parked on the street. The Lieutenant was walking up the driveway to a dark porch.

Tony whispered the address to Abby from two houses down while Gibbs and Kate got closer.

The woman was still standing there on the dark porch when Abby got back to them. The owner's name didn't mean a thing to any of them. Gibbs and Kate were next to the porch on either side and Tony had moved behind the car in the driveway.

"Gonna run the plate, boss."

A minute later the Lieutenant left the unlit porch and returned to her car where she stayed. The agents had moved so she couldn't see them while they waited for her to do something and for Abby to get back to them. When Abby did, it was a bit of a surprise; the car in the driveway belonged to Commander Lauren Tyler who was the dead man's lover.

Kate exclaimed, "Oh my God, she was going to confront her."

Tony added, "Maybe she was going to kill her husband's lover too."

Gibbs stared at the woman still sitting in her car. Had he misjudged her? Was it about jealousy or were they right to start with and it was about the hardware? He watched the widow drive away and then they hurried back to their sedan. After making sure she went home, they called it a night. In the morning they would need a new plan. They still thought she might have killed him and the handheld sonar gun was still missing.

 **End**

 **Alternate reality #2**

"I've got ten minutes before Ainsley comes looking for me. So what's the big emergency?"

"No one can know about this."

"Okay."

"We haven't got much time. I was repositioning from Cuba towards Quebec. Guess I hit a glitch over Virginia. Little Creek Naval Base."

"Oh, God bless America."

The two men straed at the image of the hot babe polar tanning.

"She's really cold."

"Really... COLD."

"Better than monitoring ship movements in the Atlantic."

"As long as we don't get caught."

"Uh oh, a problem."

"Someone else must be there. Damn. Oh, no, no, sweetie, nobody's looking."

"All right, all right."

"Hey, where'd she go? What just happened?"

"Punch in."

"Is he dead?"

"I don't know."

"What do we do?"

The two men stared at each other for a full three seconds as their CIA futures flashed before their eyes.

"Nothing," they both said at the same time. Knowing someone would eventually find the guy, the two men went back to work, hoping nobody would ever need to look at the recording of the satellite transmission. That way nobody would know they'd seen anything.

* * *

It was late in the day when Gibbs breezed into the squad room.

"Grab your gear. We're going to Little Creek."

"Call Ducky, boss?"

"Already on his way with Gerald."

It was almost quitting time, but they headed out.

"What happened?" Kate asked.

"Head of a classified project reported a man missing when he didn't return from underwater testing... something."

Tony piped in with, "Probably testing something classiified, but where?"

"The ocean," Gibbs replied dryly.

Tony smirked and Kate smiled as they walked behind Gibbs to the parking lot.

"We're going to help search for him?" Kate wanted to know.

"Nope," Gibbs told her, but that was it until they were in the sedan and on their way. Then he told them the rest of what he knew.

"Classified project. Classified hardware. Missing diver. MPs searched a few places where Lieutenant Commander Thomas Egan was known to go. They found his vehicle and then... him...dead in the water."

"Drowned?" Tony asked.

Gibbs replied, "Don't know."

Kate and Tony discussed the case and what could have happened as Kate used a laptop to search for more information about the commander. Gibbs listened, but he was wondering why a SEAL would take a chance by diving alone. He should have had someone along who knew where he was and what he was doing. The project was classified so whatever he was testing was classified too and he went alone? It was hard not to second guess with so much that could go wrong. At least one shark had taken a big bite, but hopefully there was enough left for Ducky to determine a cause of death.

 **End**

Thanks for reading. :) I appreciate reviews very much. C'mon, you know you want to tell me something. :D


	12. S1 E12 AU My Other Left Foot

AU stories for NCIS episodes. **Each is independent (totally stands alone)** from all the others since this is all based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines... many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story, but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning. Again, these are AU scenes/stories which means a character may die in one, but be alive in the next one.

 **This is #12 - a short alternate universe story/scene for Season 1, episode 12 My Other Left Foot**

The original episode aired on February 3, 2004.

The dialogue in some of this is from the episode.

Rating: K+ **(This chapter's rating might be considered higher than K+ by some because of the subject matter)**

Category: General

 **Warnings: Subject matter might be disturbing to some.** Spoilers for episodes, probably just the one that the AU story is about.

Disclaimer: I own nothing NCIS. I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit.

And finally, all mistakes are mine

* * *

 **"Why, Mama?"** Melissa Dorn wanted to know.

The smell in the kitchen wasn't too good and made her eyes water. The older woman handed her a mask and smiled grimly before placing a right foot into the large pressurized kettle and setting a timer.

"Can't leave a trace for anyone to find."

Melissa had been horrified to learn her mother had killed Tom, her half-brother. Things had gone along well for two years after getting the insurance money. It wasn't until Tom started spending way too much money and gotten a girl or two on the side that Mama, Dr. Sylvia Chalmers, took care of him.

"How long will it take?" She eyed the container of lye on the counter.

"Several hours," the older woman stated as she stirred the slurry in a 40 quart stock pot.

It had been easy to kill him with digitalis; harder to dispose of the remains. The country doctor wasn't the county ME any longer and couldn't fudge the paperwork. No trace of former Marine Thomas Dorn could be found or their elaborate plan of murder and fraud would unravel in a hurry. The last thing they needed was the police or the FBI or somebody from NCIS asking questions.

"You got the extra fuel and the rope?"

"Yeah, no problems," Melissa replied, watching closely.

Making "pazole" wasn't hard, but it took time. More heat would make it go faster, but they needed to be careful and methodical. The liquid would be poured down the drain or sewer and the bone fragments and teeth crushed into fine powder.

Mama put the lid back on the pot and washed the large spoon and her hands thoroughly before opening an additional solid air freshener.

"We'll heat the barrel in the barn," she informed her daughter, pulling the refrigerator door handle.

"It'll go faster," Mama predicted, pouring two glasses of sweet tea.

Melissa felt sick, but didn't want to go to prison. Her Mama knew what to do and she would pay attention and learn. After all, the story that Tom had run off to California to be with a girl could easily apply to Mama, who might need an extended vacation in south Florida.

 **End**

Thanks very much for reading and reviewing. :)

Note: Disposing of bodies by making stew has been used by Mexican drug cartels.


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